Resorts count the cost of terrorism

SEASIDE resorts face a gloomy end to their summer season after political parties announced that their conferences would be cut short in the wake of the US terror attacks.

Hotels, restaurants and guest houses hoped high-spending Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat members would offer much-needed respite at a time when the tourism industry is expected to lose £1bn in just a few months.

Towns that host the conferences, such as Bournemouth, Brighton and Blackpool, can normally expect an injection of anything up to £10m from the thousands of delegates.

But though takings are now likely to be down, they will still be vital to businesses facing a slide in consumer confidence.

Brighton is hosting the Labour conference. Local council spokesman Alan Stone said: 'The value of the conference trade is huge because it brings in year-round business. We have tourists in the summer and business people in the winter to make it a year-round resort. Towns that have not developed into conference centres are starting to close at this time of year.'

The Tories will arrive in Blackpool next week. Tourism division conference officer Margaret Roffey said: 'The town will receive about £5 million to £6 million from the conference. It's a big boost.'

Mark Edwards, general manager of Blackpool's official conference hotel, the four-star Imperial, said there was a marked difference last year when the town did not host one of the three main parties.

He said: 'We managed to get big volume business elsewhere last year. But the difference is that while there are usually about 500 people milling around the hotel in the evening, there are more than 2,000 on a conference night. There are lots of social events and you can draw the conclusion that most people are spending money.'

Bournemouth has just welcomed Charles Kennedy's Lib-Dems. Alex Kreutz, assistant manager of the town's Casa restaurant and bar, said: 'We took on five new people this week and that was partly due to the conference starting. The week before the conference we took £20,000 but for the conference week it will be up to £27,000.'